Both sides in gun debate claim support in Illinois legislature

Sunday

Feb 13, 2011 at 12:01 AMFeb 13, 2011 at 1:03 PM

SPRINGFIELD -- With the national spotlight on the issue of gun rights in light of the attempted assassination of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Illinois lawmakers have introduced a bevy of bills that would either expand or restrict the rights of gunowners.

ANDY BROWNFIELD

SPRINGFIELD -- With the national spotlight on the issue of gun rights in light of the attempted assassination of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Illinois lawmakers have introduced a bevy of bills that would either expand or restrict the rights of gunowners.

Proposals range from allowing people to carry concealed handguns to banning assault weapons to allowing military re-enactors to modify replica firearms.

“A lot of these bills come up year after year,” said state Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, who is sponsoring a bill to allow concealed carry of handguns in Illinois. “There’s a groundswell that’s happening right now, a grassroots effort (in favor of concealed carry).”

However, those who favor stricter gun laws say they feel a similar groundswell.

“Illinois is an interesting state – it’s at that point where gun violence prevention advocates are poised to push legislation over the top,” said Brian Malte, director of state mobilization for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “Sometimes that takes a number of years to happen.”

Concealed carry

Illinois is one of only two states -- the other is Wisconsin -- that does not allow some sort of concealed carry by its residents.

“I’m a strong believer in the Second Amendment,” said Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, R-Morrisonville, who is co-sponsoring House Bill 1403, which would allow concealed carry. “It was a big thing during my campaign – there was strong support for it from my constituents.”

Six bills before the General Assembly would permit some degree of firearm concealment in Illinois – three in each the House and Senate.

Phelps said he has sponsored a measure for concealed carry in each of his five terms as a representative. He’s seen support grow over the years, but he still doesn’t know if the proposal can gather the 71-vote supermajority it needs, since it would override the home rule rights of cities like Chicago.

The Illinois State Rifle Association has supported every version of the concealed carry bill, executive director Richard Pearson said.

“When other states have passed concealed carry, they’ve seen the crime rate drop immediately – (Illinois) ought to require it,” Pearson said. “If a thug doesn’t know who has a gun and who doesn’t, assaults against women and elderly drop, rapes drop, even home invasions drop.”

However, the Brady Campaign says passing concealed carry is likely to lead to erosion of gun control laws in general.

“States start adopting it and national gun lobbies come in and help craft stipulations, such as background checks, fingerprinting, proficiency training,” campaign director of state mobilization Brian Malte said. “Then what they do is come back year after year, repealing those stipulations until you have a situation like what Arizona came to last year, which is to allow people to carry concealed weapons with no permit required.”

One gun a month

Rep. William Burns, D-Chicago, is worried about handguns flooding the black market. His proposal, House Bill 203, would limit purchasers to one handgun per month.

“We’re trying to crack down on straw purchasers – people with no criminal record who won’t trip a background check who go in, buy a lot of guns and sell them on the black market,” Burns said.

Gun violence isn’t only a Chicago problem, Burns said, citing the 2008 killings of five Northern Illinois University students.

The state rifle association opposes Burns’ measure, saying that straw purchases are already illegal under Illinois law, and multiple handgun purchases must be reported to federal authorities.

“The only thing these laws will do is target law-abiding citizens, not criminals,” Person said. “Criminals don’t care.”

However, states that have passed similar laws, including California, Maryland and Virginia, have seen decreases in gun trafficking, Malte said.

“There’s no reason to hunt with an assault rifle or a 30-round ammunition magazine,” Malte said. “Hunters don’t use that kind of weaponry. The only reason for that kind of firepower is to kill a lot of people at once.”

Pearson said that’s simply not true.

“The things it (the bill) attempts to ban are the most popular sporting firearms in Illinois,” he said.

Fifty-caliber ammunition isn’t just used in rifles – it is also used in handguns to hunt deer, and is included in many survival kits, like those provided to pilots.

Private sales

Illinois law already requires background checks for firearm sales at gun shows, but Rep. Harry Osterman, D-Chicago, wants to take that a step further and require background checks for all private transactions.

Osterman’s House Bill 1296 would require all handgun sales, including those between private citizens, to take place at a federally licensed business. Transfers within families, court-ordered transfers and gun show sales would be exempt.

Osterman could not be reached for comment.

The Brady Campaign is in favor of requiring background checks for all firearm sales, but the state rifle association is worried about a provision that would create an online system where individuals can request a background check.

“Osterman’s bill would start a giant gun registry,” Pearson said. “There has never been a registry that has not been used against citizens.”

Military re-enactors

Some military re-enactment groups have run into a problem because their vintage rifles violate Illinois law regarding the length of rifle barrels.

To rectify this, Sen. John Jones, R-Mount Vernon, introduced Senate Bill 77, which would allow members of nationally recognized reenactment groups to possess vintage rifles or modern reproductions even if the barrels are shorter than normally allowed.

“Quite frankly, it’s illegal for them to carry those rifles around with short barrels,” Jones said. “That’s how they were made in the Civil War – barrels were of all different lengths.”

Reenactment is a popular activity, Jones said.

The bill was brought to him for sponsorship by the state rifle association, he said.